A month later...
Everyday was an uphill struggle for Xylia. Learning control above all else. Control over her body, over her aura, aura extended and flowed through the body. Aura influenced every aspect of a person; physical, spiritual, and emotional.
Meditation for long periods of time was often the most prescribed and effective method for drawing out aura properly, allowing it naturally meld together with the individual overtime.
Generally over the years of study and honing one's skill, they gradually developed and refined their elemental nature and affinity. Built up a tolerance for absorbing so much aura, creating a container for that aura, storing it away and being able to fill it again. Some even advance far enough to create a secondary container. Though very few ever came this far.
But Xylia was an exceptional case. A rare anomaly, a wild mage. Wild mages were often the result of some extensive trauma that pushes an individual into igniting the spark of the Orion Gene unintentionally, their life goes so sideways, their psyche and body can't take the pain, the influx of emotions tends to release aura like a faucet until they run out of steam and pass out or become consumed by it. But she hadn't spoken of what such trauma had occurred to her to awaken such latent powers. Then again she had not spoken at all, but Rin never pushed her on the matter.
However they couldn't afford the luxury of time. He had to do things the hard way. Push her beyond her limits to draw out and build up her strength so she could withstand such power. It was all a matter of equaling out her level of aura and physical strength. If her body could adapt to the overwhelming energy of aura and quickly, then he could begin training her to refine her magic.
In truth it was beginning to consume her, so everyday he pushed her hard, and everyday was a little more progress than yesterday.
She was still working on building her aura. Now given a simple exercise, concentrating her aura in the bottoms of her feet. She was standing out on a small pond, trying to keep herself from falling into the water. She had been at this for days. Each time she lost concentration she fell in and was annoyed she had to swim back to and start over again each time.
Rin sat on the edge of the shore, meditating and watching. Observing her and instructing her as necessary. He took note of her progress, she had done far better than he had anticipated, but it was still a struggle to get her to understand the finer nuances of magic. He would've started her out on something easier like a tree, but time was not her ally, the sooner she learned, the less likely she would damage herself beyond repair.
That's when he could feel that gnawing sensation at the back of his neck. His own mistakes he was still trying to make up for. The whole reason he was here in the first place. For a moment, he almost had forgotten.
That strong overbearing aura... deeper than any trench, completely crushing him with absurd pressure, the taste of salt water in his throat. The pain in his arm and where his eye once were momentarily stung. Reminded of a time and place that he still had to make up for, she wasn't so far off. As he looked off to the left he knew she was down there. Looking off to the right now, the Darktop mountains. That place...
His ears picked up the sound her walking towards him now as he focused back on her. She was soaking wet again.
"You lost concentration. As I said focus only on the bottoms of your feet." He he explained once more as she merely looked even more frustrated and stood defiantly
Rin finally sighed as he stood up himself. Now walking past her and continued to towards the water but never once sunk in, his feet moving perfectly with the fluidity and shakiness of the water, his pace not even broken by the change in terrain. Walking all the way to the center of the lake and stood perfectly still.
"This is a very basic skill for anyone of my father's clan. Though they start training much younger. As we also established earlier you, are an exceptional case." Rin explained as he walked back to her now "But the fact I've put you on a much more difficult level, you've adapted far better than most. We're almost at the next stage of training. Actual magic." He said as well
She studied his face and his words, truly shocked that he was so honest, he had not held back with his criticism in this training. Often his words seemed harsh, but they made sense. If she did not take care of herself, she would bring more harm upon herself later. She did not ask for this, but it was apart of her. She did not necessarily like it, but it felt so natural and like it had always been there. She would not allow this to control her, but she would not be so ignorant and keep an open mind.
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Rin smiled a little and gave a soft chuckle.
"Well how about that..." He mumbled as she looked his way now "You're starting to understand what I've been trying to get across." He added as she was once again confused "Balance." He clarified as her eyes went wide with astonishment
This whole time. Even when she thought she'd understood she still had much to learn.
"A clouded mind can cause all kinds of blockages, but a clear mind can find focus. Too much or too little on the mind can drive one down a path there is almost no coming back from. Very, very few do. When one commits themselves solely their beliefs and something so sacred without question, it will lead to their downfall." Rin furthered her lessons in understanding the fundamental principles of magic
Xylia couldn't quite grasp this concept as it was alien to her. But feelings of hatred, anger, rage, bloodlust washed over her. Like screams and echoes of a time long past. It made her feel light headed as she stumbled. Rin scrambling to his feet as he caught her.
"Hey! Easy. You're still not used to experiencing my aura." He said setting her down and draping the pelt around her "I come from a long line of warriors. A legacy that goes back centuries. We may seem harsh, but for each clan they have their own way of living." He ended the lesson on this
With this he broke off a piece of jerky and she offered bread in exchange. A gift from George, leftovers of the early morning.
As she ate, she watched Rin get a fire going, the sun already beginning to set. He never focused on eating, his mind always seemingly on the next task at hand, the next thing that needed done. Like he was keeping something of his own off his mind. But it wasn't her place to pry, he had not made her answer his questions. So she would not force the answers out of him.
Rin seemed to feel these thoughts prickling at the back of his mind, her thoughts melding with his own. Even more rare was this...
"Come. I will tell you a tale... a tale of a great emperor." He said tossing in a hand of powder into the fire causing it to grow and change color, shifting from orange to a deep blue
Xylia could see those stick figures again. Dancing in the fire...
"Long ago... a boy wanted to be a man, a warrior. The strongest warrior there ever was or had been. Born in these new lands, his skills only grew stronger with each new technique, skill and weapon he picked up. He was even said to be the first to discover aura and studied it." Rin told weaving the tale into the fire
The shadows and stick figures danced and played out a little story of a boy growing up, taking up many weapons, studying many books, talking with many different people.
"He gathered many followers over time. His words were strong and rich with righteousness. But one man that pour words of honey in another man's ear, it's no doubt laced with poison. Whether they intend to or not, they will lead to ruin. A leader leads in the direction of safety, the clan knows what's best, when the leader must speak their word is final. But they do not step out of line, if so they will be replaced with one who will lead the clan to safety." He explained to her further
She watched the scene change as groups started to move out and disappear. But many came to conflict, fighting endlessly. Over what felt like petty squabbles. Territory, cattle, resources. Constantly roaming and fending off attacks. Some went up into the mountains where shadows took form of dragons, others went down into shadows that took the form of a great forest. But one group stayed with this man the whole time, meditating. Discovering magic slowly. Learning to manipulate elements over time.
"His followers became more inspired and willing to follow him. Learn from him, do what he said without hesitation. Their fanaticism only grew larger, that's when they started to conquer the other clan's. Declaring himself the Supreme Emperor..." Rin further added his tone growing darker
The fire grew more intense as she could almost hear the cries of war. The figures were all killing one another. All lead by this one man. He would not stop with the clans, he moved the mountains and killed the dragons, then moved down into the forests and enslaved the elves.
"With the dragon's dead, the Demi humans and elves enslaved, the clans defeated, all hope seemed lost it was in this hour of darkness, the emperor forgot his own hubris. Legends say he cursed and challenged the Gods. The gods then unleashed their wrath upon their own creation... scarring the land they created." Rin said as well reach the most important part of the story
The scene now shifted again, one warrior rode up after the fall of the emperor, they burned bright and led the people to greatness, helped the elves resettle, help keep the land fair, the clans retreated to different places to hide away.
"Many of his bastard children passed on the legacy and knowledge of magic. Preserving it where they could, even the first ruling queen was said to rival the emperor himself in terms of magic." Rin said also
Xylia was truly thrown off by this all. This was all too incredible to be true. With this Rin now held his hand up, wind started to whip around him and be pulled into the palm of his hand. She watched in pure astonishment as the wind condensed and continued to spin in all directions, creating a sphere of wind, she could feel the power from this magic, how dense it was, how sharp it must be.
"This is a spell of my own creation, though it remains incomplete, it can endlessly be modified with different elements. Though I lack the talent to properly utilize this. I can only absorb small traces of another's element and use it against them temporarily. Though my spellbook is meant for a jack of trades mage like myself. Not too focused on any specific type." Rin explained for her as she watched and listened intently
Xylia couldn't hardly believe any of this. She couldn't imagine how powerful Rin had to be to be able to know all the elements. But that's when it slowly dawned on her, using so many different types had to be taxing on the individual...
"You need rest. I've kept you up too long." He said standing now as his magic dissipated and pushed aside some of the branches so she could rest inside his shelter "I'll take watch." He assured her
She sat defiantly now. Looking at him annoyed, Rin now confused by her expression. But soon was able to understand what she was thinking.
"I'll be fine. I get sleep on my own time." He assured her, but She remained seated in protest, clearly wanting him to rest too "My mind tends to wander to places when I'm sleeping..." he added
She now stood moving closer to him, her large green eyes looking at his blue eye. Her expression shifting to that of curiosity now, and then sadness, kind, and caring. He could feel her trying to understand him in turn. With this he sighed softly in defeat.
"Alright, I will rest too." He said as she finally crawled under the tree
Rin leaned against the tree as she laid on the deer pelt and slowly fell asleep. Rin looked her way. Maybe he was starting to grow soft after all...
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